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Ground Zero

by Lois Jarvis
(Madison, WI)

Ground Zero by Lois Jarvis

Ground Zero by Lois Jarvis

This quilt has 621 faces of the 2,400 people who died at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, printed on fabric. Below is my artist statement. To see detailed pictures please go to:

www.LoisJarvisQuilts.com


I am not as eloquent with words as some people are. And why I needed to make this quilt I could not say. I do not personally know anyone who perished that day. I don't plan to sell this quilt.

So why I made it is a mystery to me.

All I can say is that I felt I should do it because I knew I could to do it. Now that it is done I am finding the answer to why I felt the strong urge to make it.

I made it to be viewed by other people, and to somehow touch them. I hope it will remind everyone that the loss of the buildings and their material content was not the important event that day.

I hope it will show the viewer that the individual people on this quilt, the happy smiling people at work and at play, the brides and grooms, the fathers and mothers, the young so full of promise and the old with so much still to offer, who all perished that day, are the important things to remember.

I created this work of art using traditional quilting techniques. The Lone Star pattern was used because I could manipulate it into looking like an explosion with outward movement. The inner border is meant to contain the blast. The outer border in shades of gray captures the colors of those days following September 11...the smoke, the dust, the sadness, the colors of a city in mourning.

The quilting in the seam line along each side of the small diamonds making up the Lone Star skips the inner border and continues into the outer border. This creates the effect of a chain link fence providing a place for viewers to express their reactions to this event.

The images of the people on this quilt were downloaded from the CNN site starting just a few days after September 11. Over 1,000 pictures were downloaded. About 800 were printed. Just over 600 were used in this quilt. They were printed on PFD (prepared for dyeing) cloth treated with Bubble Set 2000 on a Cannon 600 printer.


If you enjoyed this quilt, please do let the quilter know by posting your comments. And if you've got one to share, don't be shy, we'd love to see it!

Comments for Ground Zero

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Oct 24, 2022
 A historic day to say the least ...
by: Anonymous

I have actually seen this quilt in person. There are no words to describe the emotions I felt upon the viewing. It is totally mesmerizing to see it up close and know the work that went into making it. I'm also a quilter, but this far surpasses anything I've ever made.

Thank you so much for the beautiful reminder of such an awful day. We'll all remember where we were that day, I'm sure.
Aug 05, 2020
 It is stunning and says more than words could say.
by: Anonymous

This is the third one that has made tears come to my eyes this day. You have made something beautiful to remember the lives that were lost.

Thank you for sharing it here with us.
Sep 12, 2012
 Ground Zero Quilt
by: Judy

I have seen many quilts but none with such meaning. We just passed another Sept 11th. As long as those of us were on this earth when that happened will never forget. Thank you for putting into a work of art some of our feelings.
Apr 20, 2012
 Beautiful
by: Anonymous

Amazing! Gave me chills.
Dec 29, 2011
 Love this
by: Anonymous

This is such a memorial regardless of who sees it. I love the symbolism that your used in your pattern. Bless you.
Aug 10, 2010
 Breathtaking
by: Anonymous

Your quilt is amazing, as is the story behind it.

When I clicked on it I expected to see another rendition of the Twin Towers, but to my surprise I saw a quilt that is totally mesmerizing in my eyes. You created such a wonderful quilt, depicting the loved ones of so many. I hope you have a big family so that it can be passed down over the ages, all the time keeping the memory of 9/11 alive and paying homage to the many families that were affected.

As the mother of an Air Force daughter, I pray that one day all this terror in our world will cease and that my grandchildren will have a happier, safer world to live in.

God Bless you -- you indeed have created a true masterpiece!
~ Tina (from FL and WI)
Sep 17, 2009
 Your quilt on display
by: Pat T.

Dear Lois - how timely - your very moving quilt will be on display at our quilt show September 26-27 in North Central Wisconsin - 13th Biennial Quilts Among the Pines. All of us are so looking forward to viewing this & we know it will have a huge impact on all of us and our visitors.
Thank you for sharing this remarkable work of art.

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